JP4873032B2 - User interface device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a user interface device, and more particularly, to a user interface device having a guidance function for providing an operation description or the like to a user.

  In a user interface device of an apparatus used by a plurality of users (for example, an image processing apparatus installed in an office), it is desired to realize a user interface that is easy to use for all users.

One form of an image processing apparatus is a digital multifunction peripheral. A digital multifunction peripheral (hereinafter, also referred to as “MFP” (MultiFunction Peripheral)) is an apparatus that collectively has a plurality of image processing functions such as a scanner function, a copy function, a facsimile function, and a mail function.
In general, one MFP is used for various purposes. A user uses an MFP mainly for copying a paper document. A certain user mainly uses it as a printer by inputting electronic data to the MFP via a personal computer or the like.
Therefore, the average user is not familiar with all the functions of the MFP. Such users understand the functions that they often use, but have only a fuzzy understanding of the functions that they rarely use. In some cases, the average user may not even know about some of the functions that the MFP has.
For example, when one MFP installed in an office is shared and used by various users, one of the users belonging to the office sends electronic data from the personal computer to the MFP, and the electronic data is transferred to a paper medium. You may send a fax without launching. Nevertheless, another user belonging to the office may not even know that the MFP has a facsimile function.

  Generally, an apparatus having various functions such as an MFP is equipped with a function for explaining to a user via a user interface apparatus how to use the function of the own apparatus. This function is generally called a guidance function, a help function, or the like. In recent years, a guidance function is often prepared in a hypertext (or hypermedia) format, and a part of the guidance document is a key (link) for displaying another page of the guidance. The user follows the links in order from the main headline of the guidance and refers to the desired item. Alternatively, the user uses the guidance by listing items including the keyword and selecting an item to be referenced from among the items by keyword search.

  However, in a device having various functions such as a recent MFP, the guidance itself is enlarged, and the number of cases in which the user cannot quickly refer to the desired guidance is increasing. In such a situation, a guidance function that enumerates guidance topics for each function or in order of Iueo is insufficient. In other words, the guidance function appropriately selects guidance topics (items) to be presented to the user based on some criteria, and arranges and displays only an appropriate amount of guidance items in an appropriate order to the user. There is a need for a function that enables a user to easily select a desired topic.

Patent Document 1 discloses a microwave oven that selectively displays a proposal menu that is likely to be selected by a user. In the microwave oven, a menu selected by the user operating the operation panel is recorded (sampled), and a menu with a high frequency (occurrence frequency) selected from the menu is displayed as a suggested menu.
As described above, the microwave oven disclosed in Patent Document 1 tries to present a menu having a high possibility of being selected by the user by displaying the proposed menu on the display based on the data related to the menu selected in the past. However, in the microwave oven according to Patent Document 1, when a menu selected in the past is recorded, the user who has selected the menu is not distinguished. Therefore, the microwave oven presents the same menu regardless of who the user is currently operating.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 discloses a method for displaying a help menu of an image forming apparatus. In the help menu display method of Patent Document 2, the display order of the help information items is determined based on the frequency of use of the function by the user and the function setting difficulty level indicating the difficulty level of the operation when the user sets the function. A help menu is created and displayed based on the display order.
As described above, the help menu display method of Patent Document 2 improves the convenience of the user's use of the help menu by changing the display order of the help information in accordance with the use frequency of the user. However, in the help menu display method according to Patent Document 2, the higher the usage frequency, the higher the display order of the help items, according to the usage frequency for the user. For this reason, the display order of help items that are not frequently used by the user remains at the lower level. Therefore, the user may find it difficult to refer to help when using a help item that is not frequently used.

Patent Document 3 discloses a help function control system. In the help function control system of Patent Document 3, first, the user's ability level is determined through dialogue with the user. Then, help information suitable for the determined ability level of the user is provided to the user. Moreover, in the help function control system of patent document 3, a user's capability level is accumulate | stored for every application software classification. Furthermore, in the help function control system of Patent Document 3, the application type and the number of help information selections related to the type are related, and the help information provided to the user is determined based on the number of help information selections.
However, even in the help function control system according to Patent Document 3, the higher the selection frequency (number of selections), the higher the priority of displaying help information. In addition, the number of times help information is selected is counted for each application, but information other than the number of times help information is selected, for example, the number of times the application is used is not considered.

  Thus, there are many proposals regarding the guidance function (help function).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-118553 JP 2006-146781 A JP 2001-117688 A

  However, as in the prior art, for example, when a guidance function is configured so that a guidance item related to a function that is frequently used or a guidance item that is frequently referenced is displayed with priority, for a heavy user, Guidance items related to the familiar function are preferentially displayed on the upper level, and the convenience of the guidance function is impaired. At the same time, it cannot be desired that guidance items related to functions that are used less frequently or guidance items that are referenced less frequently are displayed preferentially. Therefore, in the conventional guidance function, for example, guidance items related to functions rarely used by the user are displayed at positions where it is difficult to attract the user's attention. Therefore, as in the office example described above, for a function frequently used by one user, another user may not even know the existence of such a function.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a user interface device with an improved guidance function that can determine the display priority for each guidance item of guidance more appropriately than before. To do.

  In one aspect, the present invention is a user interface device that is connectable to a predetermined device and has a function of presenting a guidance composed of a plurality of guidance items, and a user authentication for a user to log in A user authentication unit that performs operations, an operation history recording unit that records information about operations performed by the logged-in user as an operation history record in an operation history holding unit that is a storage area, and an operation history record is acquired and aggregated. A current user operation frequency totaling unit that outputs the number of operations performed by a logged-in user who has been authenticated by the user authentication unit as a current user operation frequency totaling result, and an operation history record is acquired and totaled. The number of operations performed by users other than the authenticated and logged-in user is output as the non-current user operation frequency count result. Based on the non-current user operation frequency totaling unit and the non-current user operation frequency total result, the presentation priority of guidance items with relatively high non-current user operation frequency is relatively high among a plurality of guidance items The provisional presentation priority of the guidance item is obtained, and the presentation priority of the guidance item related to the operation with the relatively high operation frequency of the current user among the plurality of guidance items based on the current user operation frequency aggregation result is the current user operation frequency. A provisional item display rank determination unit that modifies the provisional presentation priority and determines the final presentation priority so that the presentation priority is lower than the presentation priority of a relatively low guidance item. And a display unit for displaying a guidance item list screen based on the presentation priority.

  In one aspect of the present invention, the information processing apparatus further includes a setting item-guidance item association information holding unit that holds association information between a function setting item and a guidance item related to the function setting item as setting item-guidance item association information. The non-current user operation frequency count result is information obtained by counting the number of times the guidance item is selected by a user other than the logged-in user for each guidance item, and the current user operation frequency count result is a function of a predetermined device. It is preferable that the number of times each function setting item is operated by a logged-in user is converted into information aggregated for each guidance item based on the setting item-guidance item association information.

  In one aspect of the present invention, the guidance item list screen is preferably a screen that is displayed on the display unit only after a function for presenting guidance is activated.

  In one aspect of the present invention, the operation history recording unit is an independent operation history record for each of a plurality of job modes and a mode in which a setting common to a plurality of job modes is a function of a predetermined device. Preferably, the guidance item display order determination unit determines the presentation priority based on the operation history record corresponding to the mode according to the mode in which the predetermined device is operating.

  The present invention provides a user interface device provided with a guidance function that can determine the display priority order of guidance items of guidance more appropriately than before, and has the effect of improving accessibility to user guidance.

1 is an elevation view showing the internal structure of a digital multi-function peripheral equipped with a user interface device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram of a hardware configuration of a digital multi-function peripheral including a user interface device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram of a functional configuration of a digital multi-function peripheral including a user interface device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Flowchart of processing performed by a digital multi-function peripheral including a user interface device according to an embodiment of the present invention Example of guidance function TOP screen Example of guidance function TOP screen for copy mode Another example of the guidance function TOP screen Flowchart of processing performed by a digital multi-function peripheral including a user interface device according to an embodiment of the present invention Display example of the digital multifunction peripheral operating in copy mode (TOP screen) Flowchart of processing performed by a digital multi-function peripheral including a user interface device according to an embodiment of the present invention Guidance function operation count table example Example of job function setting item setting times count table Function setting item-guidance item association table example

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

In one embodiment, the present invention is a user interface device (UI device) of a digital multifunction peripheral (MFP). The UI device of the MFP according to the present embodiment includes an LCD with a touch panel. As will be described in detail later with reference to the drawings, the UI device can display guidance on the LCD. The guidance is composed of a plurality of guidance items held in the UI device, in the MFP, or in a device external to the MFP. The guidance item is a document for explaining a specific function, operation method, and the like to the user. In addition, the guidance items can further include guidance sub-items for explaining specific functions, operation methods, etc., and the guidance items and the guidance sub-items constitute a hierarchical structure or a tree structure. The guidance sub item may further include a sub item. The UI device according to the present embodiment can hold guidance items and the like as hypertext format documents. Therefore, the user can refer to another guidance item by following a link embedded in a specific guidance item or the like.
The user input is input to the UI device as a press on the touch panel.

The UI device according to the present embodiment can display a list of guidance items in a function (guidance function) that provides a user with guidance configured in units of guidance items. The guidance items displayed in the guidance item list and the order of the guidance items are determined based on a record of past operations (operation history records) performed on the MFP including the UI device.
With such a configuration, the UI device according to the present embodiment improves operability and user convenience.

More specifically, the UI device according to the present embodiment uses an operation history record (“current user operation history record”) of a user who currently operates the UI device and uses the guidance function, and uses the guidance function. The operation frequency is aggregated based on the operation history record of the user other than the current user (“non-current user operation history record”), and the guidance items to be presented to the user based on the result of the operation frequency aggregation, and the user Determine the presentation priority of the guidance items to be presented. Then, the UI device displays a guidance item list (more precisely, a list of links for displaying each guidance item) so that guidance items having a high presentation priority are displayed at the top. Here, an operation history record including a current user operation history record and a non-current user operation history record is referred to as an “all user operation history record”.
The operation history record can record information on the user who performed the operation (user name, etc.) and the content of the operation. The “operation contents” recorded in the operation history record include guidance items (“guidance function operation history record”) selected and referred to by the user in the guidance function (help function), and so-called normal functions other than the guidance function. In the operation mode, the contents of the setting items set by the user in the MFP (for example, changes in the setting items changed from the default settings), the contents of the job executed under the settings, etc. Job setting operation history record ").
Further, the above-mentioned “contents of setting items set for the MFP by the user” and “contents of jobs executed under the setting” are associated with guidance items including related contents.

In the guidance function of the UI device according to the present embodiment, the guidance items to be presented to the user and the presentation priority between the guidance items to be presented are determined as follows.
The UI device according to the present embodiment provides a guidance item to be presented to the user based on the result of operation frequency aggregation for an operation history record ("non-current user operation history record") other than the user who is currently using the guidance function. And the presentation priority of each guidance item to be presented. Specifically, the presentation priority is tentatively determined so that the presentation priority of the guidance item having a relatively high usage frequency is relatively high in the operation frequency tabulation result.
Then, the UI device according to the present embodiment is tentatively determined based on the result of the operation frequency aggregation for the operation history record (“current user operation history record”) for the user who is currently using the guidance function. The presented presentation priority is corrected, and the presentation priority is finally determined. Specifically, the presentation priority for the guidance item related to the function (the setting item whose value is changed from the default value) set in the job in the job (past job) executed by the current user in the past is set as the provisional The presentation priority is corrected so as to be reduced from the presentation priority determined in (1). Then, the corrected presentation priority is determined as the final presentation priority.

As described above, the user interface device according to the present embodiment obtains the level of the presentation priority between the guidance items displayed on the basis of the result of the operation frequency aggregation for the users other than the current user, thereby obtaining the environment to which the current user belongs. In general, guidance items that are frequently used (referenced) can be preferentially displayed at the top.
In this way, guidance display suitable for the environment to which the current user belongs can be displayed. This provides an opportunity for the current user to acquire knowledge about functions that are not frequently used by the current user but are often used in the environment to which the current user belongs.
Furthermore, the user interface device according to the present embodiment is configured so that the guidance items related to the setting items (setting items whose setting values are changed from the default values) set in the job executed by the current user in the past are other than the above-mentioned current user. The presentation priority of each guidance item is corrected so as to reduce the presentation priority determined based on the result of the operation frequency tabulation.
This lowers the priority of the guidance items for providing information that seems to be familiar to the current user and lowers the display order of the guidance items that are considered unnecessary for the current user. The display order of guidance items related to functions that are frequently used in the environment to which the current user belongs but that the user does not use much increases relatively.
In this way, the user interface device according to the present embodiment determines the display order of the guidance items (more precisely, the link for displaying the guidance items in detail) in the guidance function (help function), and sends it to the current user. In addition to enlightening the functional explanation, the troublesome display for each user is cut, thereby shortening the time required to display the desired guidance and improving the operability.

  Further, in the user interface device according to the present embodiment, when the presentation priority of the guidance item related to the setting item set by the user in the past job is reduced, the frequency at which the user sets the setting item (the total number of times set) It is also possible to appropriately adjust the degree of decrease in the presentation priority of the guidance item by performing a predetermined weighting calculation for the As the weight value in the weighting calculation is increased, it is possible to increase the degree of decrease in the presentation priority of guidance items related to the setting items set by the user in the past job. This corresponds to the fact that the presentation priority of guidance items for functions used in the environment to which the user belongs but the user does not use much rises more dramatically.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of an MFP 1 provided with a user interface device 100. As shown in FIG. 1, the MFP 1 includes an image reader unit 10 that reads a document image, a printer unit 20 that prints and reproduces the read image on a recording sheet, and a user interface device 100.

  The image reader unit 10 is a known unit that reads an image of an original placed on an original glass plate (not shown) by a scanner, and the original image obtained by irradiation of an exposure lamp installed in the scanner is collected. The light is imaged by a light lens, and further split by a spectroscope into light of three wavelengths, red (R), green (G), and blue (B), respectively, and a CCD image sensor for red, an image sensor for green, and blue Is incident on the image sensor.

  An output signal from each CCD image sensor (hereinafter referred to as “CCD sensor”) is AD-converted, whereby image data on R, G, and B of the document is obtained.

  The image data for each color component obtained by the image reader unit 10 is subjected to various data processing in the control unit 30, and further reproduced for each of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K). Converted into color image data (hereinafter, each reproduction color of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black is represented as C, M, Y, K, and the number of the component part related to each reproduction color is indicated by C, M, Y , K as subscripts).

  The image data is stored in the storage area in the control unit 30 for each reproduction color, subjected to image correction necessary for correcting misregistration, and then read out for each scanning line in synchronization with the supply of the recording sheet. The laser diode drive signal.

  The printer unit 20 forms an image by a known electrophotographic system, and includes a recording sheet conveyance unit 40 in which a transfer belt 41 is stretched, and an upstream side in the recording sheet conveyance direction facing the transfer belt 41 ( Hereinafter, the image processing units 50M to 50K for M, C, Y, and K colors arranged at predetermined intervals along the conveyance direction downstream side (hereinafter simply referred to as “downstream side”) from the “upstream side”) The image forming unit includes exposure scanning units 60M to 60K provided for each image processing unit, a sheet feeding unit 70 for feeding a recording sheet to the upstream side of the recording sheet 40, and a fixing unit 80 disposed on the downstream side.

  Each of the exposure scanning units 60M to 60K receives a drive signal output from the control unit 30 and emits a laser beam. The exposure scanning units 60M to 60K deflect the laser beam on the photosensitive drums 51M to 51K in the main scanning direction. A polygon mirror for exposure scanning is provided. The image processing units 50M to 50K include photosensitive drums 51M to 51K and charging chargers 52M to 52K, developing units 53M to 53K, transfer chargers 54M to 54K, and the like arranged around the photosensitive drums 51M to 51K, so that maintenance is easy. It is unitized and stored in one casing.

  The paper feeding unit 70 is used to take paper feeding trays 71 to 74 for storing recording sheets of different sizes, pickup rollers 75 to 78 for feeding out the recording sheets from the respective paper feeding trays, and timing for sending them to the transfer belt 41. It includes registration rollers 79 and the like, and also includes sensors 710 to 740 that detect the presence / absence of paper and the drawer / set of the paper feed tray.

  The photosensitive drums 51M to 51K are uniformly removed by the chargers 52M to 52K after the toner remaining on the surface is removed by a cleaner (not shown) before being subjected to the exposure, and after being discharged by irradiating an eraser lamp (not shown). In this way, when exposed to the laser beam in a uniformly charged state, electrostatic latent images are formed on the surfaces of the photosensitive drums 51M to 51K. The electrostatic latent images are developed by developing units 53M to 53K for the respective colors, whereby M, C, Y, and K toner images are formed on the surfaces of the photosensitive drums 51M to 51K, and the transfer belt 41 is formed at each transfer position. The recording sheets are sequentially transferred onto the recording sheet conveyed by the recording sheet conveying section 40 by the electrostatic action of the transfer chargers 54M to 54K disposed on the back side of the recording sheet.

  At this time, the image forming operation for each color is executed while shifting the timing from the upstream side toward the downstream side so that the toner image is transferred to the same position on the recording sheet being conveyed. The recording sheet on which the toner images of the respective colors are transferred in a multiple manner is conveyed to the fixing unit 80 by the transfer belt 41. The fixing roller 801 of the fixing unit 80 includes an internal heater, and the control unit 30 controls the energization of the internal heater while detecting the surface temperature of the fixing roller 801 with the temperature detection sensor SE10, and maintains the predetermined fixing temperature. The recording sheet is pressurized with high heat here, and the toner particles on the surface thereof are fused and fixed on the sheet surface, and then discharged onto the discharge tray 81. Incidentally, the fixing unit 80 has a replaceable unit configuration (hereinafter, a fixing unit).

  A cleaning blade 49 that is in contact with the surface of the transfer belt 41 and removes toner of the registration mark transferred to the transfer belt 41 when detecting a displacement amount, which will be described later, is disposed at a position substantially below the driven roller 43. . An operation panel (user interface device) 100 is provided at an easy-to-operate position on the front surface of the image reader unit 10, from which an operator can set a copy start instruction, set the number of copies, specify a print mode, Key inputs such as more general settings that are not related to the job mode and calling the help function (guidance function). The user interface device 100 is provided with a display unit 101 composed of a liquid crystal display panel (LCD panel) or the like, and displays a copy mode and various messages set by an operator.

  In addition, a front door 21 that can be opened and closed is provided on the front surface portion of the printer unit 20 of the mounting housing 11, and the front door is opened forward to cause a paper jam (jam) in the paper transport system. Sometimes it is possible to remove jammed paper or perform maintenance such as toner replenishment. When the front door 21 is opened, it is detected by a door opening detection sensor SE3 including a limit switch and a slide switch, and the detection signal is sent to the control unit 30. The other SE4 to SE9 are jam sensors composed of reflective photoelectric sensors, limit switches, and the like, and the control unit 30 detects a leading edge of the recording sheet that passes through each jam sensor SE3 to SE9, and a predetermined time elapses. Even when the trailing edge is not detected, or when the leading edge of the recording sheet is not detected by the downstream jam sensor even after a predetermined time has elapsed since the upstream jam sensor detected the trailing edge of the recording sheet. It is determined that a paper jam has occurred.

  A main power switch 22 is provided at a substantially central position on the right side surface of the mounting housing 11.

  The recording sheet conveyance unit 40 includes a transfer belt 41, a driving roller 42 on which the belt is stretched, a driven roller 43, a tension roller 44, an auxiliary roller 45, and the like.

  The drive roller 42 is rotatably held at the right end portion of a swing frame 46 that is swingable up and down around the rotation axis of the driven roller 43. The driving roller 42 is rotationally driven by a stepping motor (not shown) installed on the swing frame 46. The rotational speed of the driving roller 42 is the peripheral speed (system speed) of the photosensitive drums 51M to 51K on the transfer surface of the transfer belt 41. Is controlled by the control unit 30 so as to have the same speed.

  When the color print mode is executed, all the photosensitive drums 51M to 51K are brought into contact with the recording sheet conveyance surface of the transfer belt 41. On the other hand, in the monochrome printing mode, the photosensitive drums 51M to 51Y that are not involved in image formation are separated from the conveyance surface of the transfer belt 41.

  As a result, even when the photosensitive drums 51M to 51Y are stopped in the single color print mode, no friction is generated between the photosensitive drums 51M to 51Y and the image formation is not adversely affected without adversely affecting image formation. Unnecessary consumption of the surface and its peripheral members can be prevented.

  Each photosensitive drum also has a replaceable unit configuration (hereinafter referred to as an imaging unit).

(Hardware configuration of UI device)
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the operation unit (user interface device 100) of the MFP 1. As illustrated in FIG.

  A user interface device (hereinafter also referred to as “UI device”) 100 includes a central processing unit (user interface control unit) 111 that controls the entire UI device 100, and includes a user interface control unit (hereinafter referred to as “UI control unit”). 111 is also communicably connected to an MFP system control unit 30 s that controls the entire MFP 1.

  The UI device 100 also includes a user interface storage unit 113 that is a data storage area. A user interface storage unit (hereinafter also referred to as a “UI storage unit”) 113 is a UI device control program executed by the UI control unit 111 and image data (for example, each of the images displayed on the display unit (LCD panel unit) 101). A read only memory (ROM) 113a for storing guidance item document data) and a random access memory 111b used as a work memory by the UI control unit 111 are provided.

  Furthermore, the UI device 100 includes an LCD control unit (LCD control CPU) 117 that controls the display unit (LCD panel unit) 101. The LCD control unit 117 performs read / write control of the video memory (VRAM) 119 and performs image display control of the display unit (LCD panel unit) 101. Specifically, image data such as operation key designs stored in the ROM 113 is sent from the UI control unit 111 to the LCD control unit 117 and temporarily stored in the VRAM 119, and then the LCD control unit 117 reads out from the VRAM 119. The data is output to the display unit (LCD panel unit) 111.

  Further, the LCD panel unit 101 is integrated with the touch panel unit 103 s, and when the user touches the touch panel unit 103 s, information on the position touched by the user is sent to the UI control unit 111 via the input / output control unit 115. The touch panel unit 103s constitutes an input unit (software key) of the UI device 100. The UI control unit 111 recognizes pressing of an operation key or the like based on the received position information, and performs processing according to the content such as user operation and setting.

  The hardware key unit 103h is also controlled by the input control unit 115. The hardware key section 103h includes a hardware key including a numeric keypad (103ha in FIG. 1), a start key (103hb in FIG. 1), a panel reset key, etc., an LED indicating the state of the machine, and a hardware key 103 b and a buzzer for notifying the user of acceptance of input made through the software key 103 s.

  Further, the input control unit 115 performs communication with the MFP system control unit 30s via the UI control unit 111 as necessary. For example, when the user presses the start key in the hardware key unit 103h, information on the press is communicated to the MFP system control unit 30s via the input / output control unit 115 and the UI control unit 111, and a job (for example, a series of jobs) Copying operation) is started.

  In addition to the above configuration, the UI device 100 includes a user authentication unit 121 that authenticates a user by a predetermined method. As the authentication method of the user authentication unit 121, a known method can be used. Alternatively, the user may input a user name, a password, etc. using the hardware key unit 103h, the software key unit 103s, etc., and the MFP system control unit 30s etc. may perform user authentication based on the input.

  Units such as the fixing unit and the imaging units for each color determine states such as near life and life based on the number of uses (life counter) by copying / printing.

  Each unit backs up the count value, and notifies the MFP system control unit 30s of the state based on the count value.

  Then, when the job being executed is completed (or when the settings for the job are confirmed, such as when a job execution instruction is input), the settings for the job (changed from the job mode and default values) The information of the setting item having the set value) is stored in the UI storage unit 113 as an operation history record. Further, when the guidance function (help function) is being executed, information on the selected guidance item is stored in the UI storage unit 113 as an operation history record. Note that the storage destination of the record may be a storage area of the MFP system control unit 30s of the MFP 1 main body. Alternatively, the storage destination may be a removable medium such as an HDD, or may be a subordinate server when the MFP 1 is connected to the network.

(Functional configuration of UI device)
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the UI device 100. The functions shown in this figure are realized by the action of a computer program executed in the UI control unit 111 and the action of hardware components that operate under the control of the UI control unit 111. The computer program is preferably held in the UI storage unit 113, but can also be held in a storage area of the main body of the MFP 1 or a storage area of a storage device outside the MFP 1. Further, the subject that executes the computer program may not be the UI control unit 111. The computer program may be executed by a central processing unit of the MFP 1 main body or a central processing unit located outside the MFP 1.

In the UI control unit 111, by executing the computer program,
The content, frequency, etc. of the operation performed by the user (for example, an operation performed in the past job to change the setting value from the default value) and the content, frequency, etc. of the guidance item selected by the user in the guidance function (help function) An operation history recording unit 131 that records an operation history record in the operation history holding unit 141 of the UI storage unit 113;
A setting item-guidance item association information holding unit 143 that holds association information between a setting item and a guidance item related to the setting item;
An operation history acquisition unit 133 for acquiring an operation history record stored in the operation history holding unit 141 of the UI storage unit 113;
From the acquired operation history record, the current user operation frequency totaling unit 135a that totals the operation frequency for the user (current user) who operates the UI device and uses the guidance function, and the user other than the current user An operation frequency totaling unit 135 including a non-current user operation frequency totaling unit 135b for totaling operation frequencies;
The non-current user frequency that temporarily determines the presentation priority of the guidance item so that the presentation priority of the guidance item having a relatively high operation frequency is relatively high based on the result of the operation frequency aggregation for the non-current user Considering the non-current user frequency so as to reduce the presentation priority of the guidance item related to the setting item having a relatively high operation frequency based on the result of the operation frequency aggregation for the consideration display order determination unit 137b and the current user A guidance item display order determining unit 137 including a current user frequency consideration display order correcting unit 137a that corrects the presentation priority provisionally determined by the display order determining unit 137b and finally determines the presentation priority is realized. .

  Further, the UI storage unit 141 includes a guidance item holding unit 145 that holds the contents of each guidance item (preferably, a hypertext format document).

  The operation history holding unit 141 of the UI storage unit 141 stores information on setting items (such as the number of times of setting) on which setting operations have been performed in the past job for each user, and the past job setting operation history record 141a for each user. A guidance function operation history record 141b that holds information (such as the number of selections) of guidance items selected and referred to.

  Further, the current user operation frequency totaling unit 135a first performs operation frequency totalization on the past job setting operation history record for the current user, and then, based on the setting item-guidance item association information, the result of the operation frequency totalization. Can be converted into values for each guidance item. In the conversion calculation, the current user operation frequency totaling unit 135a can execute a weighting calculation for a predetermined setting item or a predetermined guidance item. It is desirable to retain in advance the weight value used in the weighting calculation.

  Next, the LCD control unit 117 performs a process of displaying operation keys (software keys) on the LCD panel 101 based on an instruction from the UI control unit 111.

  The input / output control unit 115 receives inputs from the hardware key unit 103 h and the software key unit 103 s and outputs information about the operation performed by the user to the UI control unit 111.

(Processing flowchart)
Hereinafter, processing performed by the MFP 1 and the UI device will be described with reference to flowcharts and the like.

((Guidance function operation recording process flowchart))
First, processing for recording the guidance function operation history record 141b (FIG. 3) will be described with reference to FIGS. 4, 5A, 5B, and 6. FIG. In this process, a user (current user) who has logged in using the user authentication unit 121 (FIGS. 2 and 3) calls a guidance function (help function) and refers to a desired guidance item (guidance). This is a process of recording the item selection etc.) in the guidance function operation history record 141b (FIG. 3).

Referring to FIG. 4, in step S <b> 101, the UI device 100 determines whether or not user authentication via the user authentication unit 121 is successful.
When the UI device 100 determines that the user authentication is successful (“YES” in step S101), the process proceeds to step S103.
If the UI device 100 determines that user authentication has not been successful (“NO” in step S101), the process ends.

In step S103, the UI device 100 determines whether the guidance function (help function) is being activated or is being executed, whether (the display unit (LCD panel unit 101) is displaying the guidance screen (help screen)), or not. Or).
If the UI device 100 determines that the guidance function (help function) is being activated or is being executed (“YES” in step S103), the process proceeds to step S105.
When the UI device 100 determines that the guidance function (help function) is not being activated or being executed ("NO" in step S103), the process ends.

  5A, 5B, and 6 are display examples of the LCD panel unit 101 when the guidance function is executed.

  FIG. 5A is an example of a help menu TOP screen. The help menu TOP screen is a screen that is displayed first after the guidance function (help function) is activated. The guidance function is started, for example, when a “help” key of the hardware key unit 103h is pressed.

FIG. 5B is a screen (job mode = help menu for copying) that is transitioned to when item 1 “Copy” in FIG. 5A is selected. The menu display example of FIG. 5B is an example diagram in the case where the job mode is copy, but the UI device 100 is not limited to other job modes (scan mode, FAX mode, print mode, BOX mode, and administrator mode / The same menu screen is also provided for the user mode setting).
When the “help” key is pressed while the job mode of the MFP 1 is the copy mode, the copy mode menu screen as shown in FIG. 5B is displayed as the help menu TOP screen immediately after the guidance function is activated. May be.

  FIG. 6 is a screen display example displayed when the “TOP menu switching” key in FIG. 5A is pressed. This screen is a menu screen that displays guidance items in a so-called FAQ format. The UI device 100 can also display such a FAQ format menu screen as a help menu TOP screen. In the FAQ menu screen, guidance items (links for displaying the contents of guidance items) to be displayed based on the result of the guidance item presentation priority determination processing (described later) according to the present embodiment, and those Display order is determined.

Returning to FIG. 4, in step S <b> 105, the UI device 100 accepts a key operation of the input unit (hardware key unit 103 h or software key unit 103 s (both in FIG. 3)).
In step S107, the UI device 100 determines whether or not a key operation of the input unit has been accepted.
If the UI device 100 determines that the key operation of the input unit has been accepted (“YES” in step S107), the process proceeds to step S109.
When the UI device 100 determines that the key operation of the input unit has not been received (“NO” in step S107), the process returns to step S105.

In step S109, the UI device 100 selects a job mode (setting in the copy mode, the scan mode, the FAX mode, the print mode, the BOX mode, and the administrator mode / user mode) to be guided by the received key operation. In addition, it is determined whether the guidance item is selected (“guidance item etc.”) or not.
When the UI device 100 determines that the accepted key operation is a key operation for a guidance item or the like (“YES” in step S109), the process proceeds to step S111.
If the UI device 100 determines that the accepted key operation is not a key operation for a guidance item or the like (“NO” in step S109), the process proceeds to step S105.

  In step S <b> 111, the UI device 100 updates the contents of the current user's operation history record (guidance function operation history record) for the guidance item selected by the received key operation.

  In step S113, the UI device 100 executes a guidance function according to the accepted key operation.

  In this way, the UI device 100 records the key operations performed by the user (current user) to use the guidance function, and collects information about which user has used what guidance.

((Flowchart of job setting operation recording process))
Next, processing for recording the past job setting operation history record 141a (FIG. 3) will be described with reference to FIGS. This process is performed by the user (current user) who has logged in using the user authentication unit 121 (FIGS. 2 and 3) when setting the setting items related to the job in the executed job (the job is applied). This is a process of recording changes from default values of various setting items) in the past job setting operation history record 141a (FIG. 3).

Referring to FIG. 7, in step S <b> 101, the UI device 100 determines whether or not user authentication via the user authentication unit 121 is successful.
When the UI device 100 determines that the user authentication is successful, the process proceeds to step S103, and when it is determined that the user authentication is not successful, the process ends.

In step S103, the UI device 100 determines whether the guidance function (help function) is being activated or is being executed, whether (the display unit (LCD panel unit 101) is displaying the guidance screen (help screen)), or not. Or).
If the UI device 100 determines that the guidance function (help function) is being activated or is being executed (“YES” in step S103), the process ends.
If the UI device 100 determines that the guidance function (help function) is not being activated or being executed ("NO" in step S103), the process proceeds to step S105.

  FIG. 8 is a display example of a job setting TOP screen when the job mode is copy. The user operates the software key section 103s and the hardware key section 103h to operate the color mode (setting items for color setting), the finishing mode (setting items for finishing setting (binding, stapling, etc.)), The document designation mode (setting items for specifying paper size and setting items for setting magnification) can be changed from the default values. Each setting item can include a plurality of setting items in a lower hierarchy.

Returning to FIG. 7, in step S <b> 105, the UI device 100 accepts a key operation of the input unit (hardware key unit 103 h or software key unit 103 s (both in FIG. 3)).
In step S107, the UI device 100 determines whether or not a key operation of the input unit has been accepted.
If the UI device 100 determines that the key operation of the input unit has been accepted, the process proceeds to step S201, and if it is determined that the key operation of the input unit has not been received, the process returns to step S105. .

In step S201, the UI device 100 determines whether or not the accepted key operation is an input for setting a job setting item.
If the UI device 100 determines that the accepted key operation is an input for setting a job setting item (“YES” in step S201), the process proceeds to step S203.
If the UI device 100 determines that the accepted key operation is not an input for setting a job setting item (“NO” in step S201), the process proceeds to step S205.

  In step S203, the UI device 100 changes the value of the job setting item in accordance with the accepted key operation, and the process returns to step S105.

In step S205, the UI device 100 determines whether or not the accepted key operation is an input for instructing execution of a job.
If the UI device 100 determines that the accepted key operation is an input for instructing execution of the job (“YES” in step S205), the process proceeds to step S207.
If the UI device 100 determines that the accepted key operation is not an input for instructing execution of the job (“NO” in step S205), the process returns to step S105.

  In step S207, the UI device 100 notifies the MFP 1 that there is an input for instructing execution of the job according to the contents of the current job setting, and the MFP 1 that has received the notification executes the job.

  In step S209, the UI device 100 updates the contents of the current user operation history record (past job setting operation history record) for the job setting item selected by the key operation received until the job is executed.

  In this way, the UI device 100 records the setting operation performed by the user (current user) to execute the job, and information on which user has used what job with what setting. To collect.

((Flowchart of guidance item presentation priority determination process))
Finally, guidance item presentation priority determination processing by the UI device 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 9, 10, 11, and 12. This process includes guidance items displayed on the menu screen when a user (current user) who has logged in using the user authentication unit 121 (FIGS. 2 and 3) calls a guidance function (help function), and those items This is a process of determining the display order and displaying the menu screen on the display unit (LCD panel 101).

Referring to FIG. 9, in step S <b> 301, the UI device 100 determines a job mode that is a target for executing the guidance function. For example, if the MFP 1 is operating in the copy mode immediately before the guidance function is activated, the UI device 100 specifies the guidance function execution target job mode as “copy”. The same applies to other job modes (scan mode, FAX mode, print mode, BOX mode, and setting in the administrator mode / user mode (job mode for performing common settings in the job mode)). When the MFP 1 is not in any job mode, the UI device 100 may specify the guidance function execution target job mode so that all job modes are included.
In the following description, it is assumed that the guidance function execution target job mode is specified as “copy”.

In step S303, the UI device 100 identifies the current user. The current user may be specified, for example, by performing user authentication immediately before and specifying the user currently logged in to the MFP 1 as the current user.
In the following description, it is assumed that the current user is specified as “user 1”.

  In step S <b> 305, the setting operation history acquisition unit 133 (FIG. 3) of the UI device 100 acquires (derivates) a guidance function operation frequency count table related to the guidance function execution target job mode, and outputs the table to the operation frequency count unit 135. To do. This guidance function operation frequency count table is data in a table format derived based on the guidance function operation history record 141 b of the UI storage unit 113.

  FIG. 10 is an example of the guidance function operation count table for the copy mode acquired (derived) in step S305. In this table, the number of times of selection and reference for each guidance item (guidance item 1, guidance item 2, guidance item 3,...) In the copy mode is tabulated for each user. For example, the user 1 has referred to the guidance item 1 10 times so far. For example, the user 2 has not referred to the guidance item 3 ever.

  Returning to FIG. 9, in step S307, the non-current user operation frequency totaling unit 135b (FIG. 3) of the operation frequency totaling unit 135 determines the number of times a user other than the current user (non-current user) has referred to the guidance item so far. Then, the guidance items are aggregated to derive the non-current user operation frequency aggregation result. In this step, instead of deriving the non-current user operation frequency aggregation result, the operation frequency aggregation for all users including the current user may be performed to derive the all user operation frequency aggregation result. Also in processing, the result may be used instead of the non-current user operation frequency count result.

  In step S309, the setting operation history acquisition unit 133 (FIG. 3) of the UI device 100 acquires (derived) a function setting item setting valence tabulation table for the job related to the guidance function execution target job mode, and tabulates the operation frequency tabulation of the table. To the unit 135. This function setting item setting valence totaling table is data in a table format derived based on the past job setting operation history record 141 a of the UI storage unit 113.

  FIG. 11 is an example of the function setting item setting valence tabulation table for the copy mode acquired (derived) in step S309. In the table, each of the copy mode function setting items (function setting item 1, function setting item 2, function setting item 3,...) Is changed from the default value and set in the job executed in the past. The number of times is counted for each user. For example, the user 1 has set the function setting item 1 10 times so far. For example, the user 2 has not set (changed from the default value) the function setting item 3 even once.

  Returning to FIG. 9, in step S <b> 311, the current user operation frequency totaling unit 135 a (FIG. 3) of the operation frequency totaling unit 135 totals the number of times that the current user has set the function setting items so far for each function setting item. The current user operation frequency tabulation result is derived.

  In step S313, the current user operation frequency totaling unit 135a (FIG. 3) of the operation frequency totaling unit 135 stores the function setting item-guidance item association information held in the setting item-guidance item association information holding unit 143 (FIG. 3). The current user operation frequency tabulation result derived in step S311 is converted into a value for each guidance item, and the converted value is output as the current user operation frequency tabulation conversion result.

  FIG. 12 is an example of function setting item-guidance item association information (table) referred to in step S313. In this table, for each function setting item of copy mode (function setting item 1, function setting item 2, function setting item 3,...), Association information with guidance items related to the function setting item is recorded. Has been. For example, it is indicated that the function setting item 1 is related to the guidance item 1. Further, for example, the function setting item 6 is associated with a plurality of guidance items such as the guidance item 6 and the guidance item 17.

Returning to FIG. 9, in step S315, the current user operation frequency totaling unit 135a (FIG. 3) of the operation frequency totaling unit 135 performs a predetermined weighting operation on the current user operation frequency total conversion result. It is desirable that the weight value used in this step is determined in advance for each user for each function setting item related to the job. In principle, this weight value is preferably a positive real number. In particular, when the weight value is a real number of 1 or more, the presentation priority of the guidance item related to the function setting item is greatly reduced as compared with the case where the weighting calculation is not performed. On the contrary, when the weight value is a real number of 1 or more, the presentation priority of the guidance item related to the function setting item does not decrease much compared to the case where the weighting calculation is not performed.
In the processing in step S313 and step S315, the current user operation frequency tabulation result (before conversion into the value for each guidance item) is weighted for the tabulation value for each function setting item, and then A user operation frequency tabulation result may be derived, and a current user operation frequency tabulation conversion result (which is table data converted into a value for each guidance item) may be derived from the weighted current user operation frequency tabulation result.

In step S317 and step S319, the guidance item display order determination unit 137 displays the guidance from the non-current user operation frequency tabulation result derived in step S311 and the current user operation frequency tabulation conversion result derived in step S315. The items and their display order are derived as the presentation priority of the guidance items.
Specifically, in step S317, the current user operation frequency total conversion result is subtracted from the non-current user operation frequency total result for each guidance item to derive the operation frequency total result. In step S319, the guidance item display order determination unit 137 sorts the guidance items in descending order of the operation frequency count result value, and the sorted guidance item order matches the order of presentation priority. Determine presentation priority.

  In step S317 and step S319, a value serving as a reference for presentation priority is derived by subtracting the current user operation frequency total conversion result for each guidance item from the non-current user operation frequency total result. . Instead, the guidance item display order determination unit 137 provisionally determines the presentation priority based on the operation frequency of the non-current user (non-current user frequency consideration display order determination unit 137b), and then the current user's operation priority. Based on the presentation priority based on the operation frequency, the provisional priority determined provisionally may be modified to determine the final presentation priority.

  In any case, the UI device 100 according to the present embodiment tentatively determines the guidance items to be presented and the order of presentation (presentation priority) so that the operation frequency of the non-current user is high. The guidance items related to the function setting items that are frequently operated by the current user are corrected so as to lower the provisional priority determined provisionally, and the final presentation priority is determined.

  Finally, in step S321, the UI device 100 displays a list of guidance items on the display unit (LCD panel 101) according to the presentation priority derived in step S319.

  As described above, the UI device according to the present embodiment determines the presentation priority of the guidance items so that the higher the operation frequency is, the higher the display order is based on the operation frequency other than that of the current user. The presentation priority is corrected so as to lower the presentation priority of the guidance item related to the function setting item that the current user seems to be familiar with. By determining the guidance items and their display order in this way, it is possible to display guidance suitable for the environment to which the user belongs. In addition, since guidance items related to familiar functions are cut, displaying desired guidance is facilitated and accelerated.

  Note that the UI device according to the present embodiment can include a plurality of guidance sub-items in the content of the guidance item, and the guidance sub-item can further include subordinate items in a nested structure. In this case, the presentation priority can be determined not only for the guidance item but also for each of the guidance sub-item and the item positioned further below it.

  The present invention is useful as a UI device having a guidance function highly optimized for an installation environment.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Digital multifunction device 10 ... Image reader part 20 ... Printer part 30s ... MFP system control part 30p ... Image processing control part 100 ... UI apparatus 101 ... LCD panel part ( Display section)
103s ... Touch panel (software key)
103h ... Hardware key part 111 ... UI control part 113 ... UI storage part 115 ... Input / output control part 117 ... LCD control part 119 ... VRAM
121 ・ ・ ・ User authentication unit

Claims (4)

A user interface device that can be connected to a predetermined device and has a function of presenting guidance composed of a plurality of guidance items,
A user authentication unit that performs user authentication for a user to log in;
An operation history recording unit that records information about an operation performed by the logged-in user as an operation history record in an operation history holding unit that is a storage area;
The operation history record is acquired and aggregated, and a current user operation frequency aggregation unit that outputs the number of operations performed by the logged-in user who is authenticated by the user authentication unit as a current user operation frequency aggregation result;
The non-current user operation frequency totaling unit that acquires and totals the operation history records and outputs the number of operations performed by a user other than the logged-in user who is authenticated by the user authentication unit as a non-current user operation frequency totaling result When,
Temporary presentation priority of guidance items such that the presentation priority of guidance items with relatively high non-current user operation frequency is relatively high among the plurality of guidance items based on the non-current user operation frequency tabulation result Based on the current user operation frequency tabulation result, the presentation priority of guidance items related to operations with a relatively high operation frequency of the current user among the plurality of guidance items is relatively low. A guidance item display order determination unit that modifies the provisional presentation priority and determines a final presentation priority so as to be significantly lower than the presentation priority of the guidance item;
And a display unit that displays a guidance item list screen based on the final presentation priority. And a setting item-guidance item association information holding unit for holding association information between the function setting item and the guidance item related to the function setting item as the setting item-guidance item association information.
The non-current user operation frequency tabulation result is information obtained by tabulating the number of times the guidance item is selected by a user other than the logged-in user for each guidance item,
The current user operation frequency tabulation result indicates the number of times each function setting item related to the function of the predetermined device is operated by the logged-in user for each guidance item based on the setting item-guidance item association information. The user interface device according to claim 1, wherein the user interface device is information converted into information aggregated into The user interface device according to claim 1, wherein the guidance item list screen is a screen that is displayed on the display unit only after a function for presenting the guidance is activated. The operation history recording unit records an independent operation history record for each of a plurality of job modes, which is a function of the predetermined device, and a mode for performing a setting common to the plurality of job modes,
The user interface according to claim 1, wherein the guidance item display order determination unit determines the presentation priority based on an operation history record corresponding to the mode according to a mode in which the predetermined device is operating. apparatus.

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